Said The Whale: Indie Rockers Grow Up

It's been a while since we last checked in with up-and-coming Vancouver band, Said the Whale - and it has certainly been a productive time, considering how much these guys have grown. From their first independent release, Taking Abalonia, Said The Whale has sailed even further and written a whole new batch of songs on their new album, Howe Sounds. However, since the first release of Taking Abalonia didn't get proper distribution, the band decided to combine the two - a concoction of old and new known as Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia.

Listening to the two records back-to-back, it's easy to hear the immense growth of Said The Whale's beautiful, clean and raw musical style. "There's an obvious difference between Howe Sounds and Taking Abalonia," confirms Tyler Bancroft, one of the band's avid songwriters. "It's also a bit weird to look back and see the growth between the two EPs because I have seen even more growth occurring in the past six months [Howe Sounds was recorded in November 2007]."

As the band evolves musically, Said The Whale has found themselves coasting into a happier and more comfortable place. The way Tyler sees it, the band's continuing success helps them grow even more on a day-to-day basis: "When you just keep playing shows and giving people a reason to hear your band name, it definitely helps you grow and we've seen our audiences increase in almost every city each time we play there."

Like Said The Whale, tons of other indie bands are becoming acknowledged around Vancouver. So how can Said The Whale set themselves apart? "The coolest thing about Vancouver's scene is how different each band is from one another," explains Tyler. "In terms of our music [standing out], I'd say we're really dedicated to writing about our surroundings and our city."

No doubt that Said The Whale does in fact have a very unique and distinct sound. With just a few more years and a few more songs, Said The Whale is certain to overtake the vast sea of emerging indie bands.